Saturday, February 28, 2015

When their younger twin siblings were murdered by their
cold-blooded father, Shane and Keri’s own twin connection deepened. Their
father shamed Shane and Keri into silence, and then went on to bring four more
children into a house shuddering under the weight of his unpredictable temper.

Ten
years later, what should have been a regular visitation turns into a horrific
nightmare. Trapped in the Superstition Mountains with an addicted and dangerous
father, Keri’s faith and determination wavers, but she knows she must save her
brothers and sisters and return all of them to the home they love.

She now
faces one insurmountable obstacle. He can’t afford to let her go.

The window in my bedroom that I share with my two younger brothers overlooks Main Street. I angle my head, so I can attempt to see where my twin is.

“See Keri?” Axe, my best bud, asks.

“Nope. But I do see a bunch of cars leaving.” I face him and grin. “That means she’s on her way back.”

“Great. We can leave now.”

“Looks that way.”

He and I race down the stairs. The normal noise of a large family during winter holiday break greets me, along with what can only be described as evil snickering. We come around the corner, shoving and pushing to see which one of us gets to the bottom first, with me gaining an inch on my bud.

“Yes!” I pump a fist and hop down the last three steps, the satisfaction of proving once and for all that I’m the best pass receiver on our team.

“I am so going to beat you one of these days,” he says.

We knuckle bump and clown around.

“Ready when you are, honey,” a strange female voice says.

“Huh?” I turn around.

A woman who looks like a million miles of bad road stands beside the open front door. Before I can ask who she is and what she’s doing in our house, a series of loud bangs precedes the sound of a cat yowling. That noise sends fear shivers through every inch of my body, and I don’t scare all that easily.

“What the heck?” Axe pushes me aside. “What’s going on, Shane?”

“Don’t know.” I point at the woman. “Who are you?”

“Jake’s honey-poo,” she purrs.

That response is wrong on so many levels, beginning with Jake is my dad’s name. The last time I checked he was still married to my mom.

“Who are you two handsome hunks?”

Gross. Sick. Yuck! She sounds just like Scooter when he catches a mouse.

Just as I’m about to tell this loser from the wrong side of the tracks to get lost, Scooter races out of the kitchen. A mix of who knows what, he has gorgeous gray and white striped fur and I can only describe him as fat and slow.

Slow comes nowhere close to describing that streak racing for safety. Scooter howls out his fear. His fur stands on end and his tail is so fluffy that it looks ten times its normal size.

Author Bio:

Born and raised in
Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling
the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in
Northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty
years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and
coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.

She’s a multi-genre author who
comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Some of her short stories have
appeared in anthologies, others in magazines. Three of her books (Softly Say
Goodbye, Who Am I?, and Mama’s Advice) are Amazon best sellers. Her other books
are: Take Chances, Where U @, The Wrong One, Pony Dreams, Evil Eyes, Inits,
Canoples Investigations Tackles Space Pirates, The Call Chronicles 1: The
Griswold Gang, The Curse of Grungy Gulley, Paradox Lost: Their Path, and
Starlight. Additionally, she has shorts available on Amazon: Grace, Secret From
the Flames, Family Curse … Times Two, Right Wrong Nothing In Between, and The
Ghost Catcher.

Carly and I sneak up
the walkway to the backdoor of the house where I live with my parents and five
siblings. We’ve done nothing wrong. There is no reason for us to be sneaking
into my house, except one… him.

“Are you sure about
this?” she whispers.

“Yeah.” I cast a
guilty glance at the driveway.

Shane’s truck isn’t
here. He must still be hanging with his best bud, Axe. Heat rushes up my face
whenever I think about that hunk. Axe not Shane. Big Bro is anything but a
hunk. Well, he is kind of cute, and a lot of girls like him, but a hunk? Give
me a break. None of the girls hot for him know that he stinks up a bathroom or
dumps his clothes all over the place for me to pick up.

I’ll forgive Carly for thinking like that. She’s good for Shane, if
he’d just get over the “everybody will hate us for dating” thing. Big deal if
she’s African American and we’re white. Nobody cares about that anymore.

“Your dad will pop a
cork if he catches me in the house,” Carly says. “You know he hates… you know.”

We never talk about
that. So what if my dad is the biggest bigot in the world? The rest of my
family is totally cool with me having Carly around. They like her. She’s funny,
and an awesome bestie.

We both stop in
front of the back door. I reach out a hand, but don’t turn the knob when I hear
shouting.

“Oh, shit.” I glance
at Carly.

“What now?” she
whispers.

Memories flood
through me of a night I try so very hard to forget. Once upon a time, there was
another set of twins in our house. Then they were gone. The reason they’re not
with us anymore is too hard to think about. I don’t even talk about that night,
but that’s because Shane and I made a sacred vow. We will always keep that
secret. Telling now will cause so many problems for us.

I have to tell someone, but that means I’ll go to jail. Won’t I? Isn’t
that where liars go when they hide a crime?

The anniversary of
that particular act still haunts me, even though it was way back in August.
December has usually been good, even if we’re sad because of whatever he is doing. To have such an innocent
act end in the violence as that one did should never happen to anyone,
especially a kid. To have the person responsible still walking around as if he
did nothing wrong infuriates me, until I think about how I never told.

Shane didn’t either. We should have told. It didn’t matter if we were
only seven. It doesn’t matter now that we’re almost seventeen. We should have
told.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance Blurb:
When Nina Archer dreamt of Wes Ladner, they were both in Florida, both
runners, both writers, and both passionately attracted to each other.

After
a year and a half, Nina is growing accustomed to a new life in Kill
Devil Hills, North Carolina, and though she feels as if something is
missing, she doesn’t think she will ever return to the place of her
birth. Despite this, she soon discovers she not only misses Florida, but
she is not so sure running away was the best idea.

Wes
is the man who helped Nina learn to be intimate, but a disagreement
between them seems to have finalized the idea they will never be
together.

While Wes’s career is on the rise, and his
novel is about to become a bestseller, Nina explores her inner self
while attempting to let go of her fears and accept the fact that she is
worth it and deserves love.

Will Nina and Wes find each other again, or will they ignore the dreams they’ve had?

When
I Dream of You brought them together. When I Think of You continues
their story as they try to decide if their dreams come from something
substantial, or if they are nothing more than fantasy.

Excerpt

I know it isn’t over the moment I smell the salty air, breathe in the silence of Juno Beach at two in the morning. And like that night so many months ago, the stars are clearer than anything I’ve ever seen before. I walk the road that runs along the beach, then stand for a moment and close my eyes, trying to spot the differences between here and the place I’d come from only hours before. They are innumerable, but noticeable only to someone who is paying very close attention to the way the waves hit the sand, the way the lone car slides slowly past, headlights piercing the darkness.

Juno is unique, like nowhere else; there is something different about the sensations that fill me as I stand there. The drive from the Outer Banks of North Carolina was a long one, but it was liberating. I once believed I would never return to the place of my birth, but the universe had other plans. I cannot help but think there’s a reason I’m supposed to be here.

Stepping past the sea grapes and down onto the sand, I pull off my sneakers as I recall my favorite difference between here and there: the texture of the sand. Here, it’s so much softer, and I know without having to see it that it is a tan color, not like the sand in the Outer Banks which is often much coarser, turning almost orange when the tide comes in washing up tiny rocks and shells.

To my left, Juno Pier sits steadfast and still, a hulking giant in the night reaching out over the ocean. If I hadn’t flipped on the small pocket flashlight I carry with me, I would have stepped on the man-o-war jellyfish on the sand, spread out like an amoeba, its bright tentacles reaching for the ocean it might never return to.

It is trapped, like I’d been for so long. I recoil, horrified, not wanting to get stung. I don’t know what that kind of pain is like. Backing up, I jog toward the road again, keeping the little beam of light on the path before me. Once back on the sidewalk, I tug my socks and shoes back on and stretch my arms toward the sky, feeling the soft hot breeze against my exposed flesh. In my running shorts and tank top, I can’t resist; with the rushing of the ocean to my right,

I begin to run. I run, and run, and run along the sidewalk. There is nothing like running; the simple action of moving swiftly through the heavy air has saved my life many times over. How often I ran from emotion, from turmoil that plagued me day in and day out.

I ran, ran, ran—but I never escaped.

Now I’m running on the pavement, breathing in and out with such ease it amazes me. I raise my arms to shield my eyes from the blinding headlights, squinting until stars pop in my vision. I expect the car to keep going and disappear in the distance, but instead it slows and creeps nearer.

For a brief moment, I am perplexed as I hear the car door open and shut. Then—

“Nina?”

Blinking, I lower my arm, my chest still heaving with breath, sweat coating my skin. At first, all I see is a silhouette, but the voice is so familiar. I cannot deny the lump forming in my throat, the way my heart leaps and heat rushes to the pit of my stomach.

Only one person can make my body thrum with this perpetual desire, an ache just as heavy as the heat around me. At one time I was sure I would never see him again, especially since it seemed so certain we couldn’t make it work between us.

I step into the light, I see his face, the corners of his lips twitching upward in recognition.

Rosa Sophia is a novelist and a full-time editorial
consultant.With a degree in Automotive
Technology, she adores writing and editing as well as fixing cars.Rosa is also a crazy cat lady in training,
and currently divides her time between South Florida and Pennsylvania.

Monday, February 23, 2015

I am offering a snippet of my WIP, The Bearded Dude in the Puzzle. I hope ya'll like it!

* * * *

The car was locked so he and Andi leaned against it, waiting for their
dad to come out. “Can you believe him?” Andi growled. “He never had
any intentions of taking you shopping. He would rather be with
that…that idiot bimbo than spend time with us!”

She saw the
shattered look on his face and stopped talking, taking a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Bobby. He’s just such a jerk.” She saw them come out of
the pizza parlor. “Here they come.” She got nose to nose with her
brother. “Do not let him make you cry. I mean it, Bobby. He is not
worth it.”

Their dad walked around the car and opened the door
for Miss James, laughing at something she had said. Clueless, or
uncaring of his kids’ hurt feelings, Steve Taylor whistled a tune as
walked to the driver’s side.

Bobby’s eyes were glued to the
passenger window in the backseat. Please, don’t let me cry. He had
been so sure today would prove that his dad still loved them. The
giggling of the woman was like fingernails on a chalkboard. He glanced
at his sister. Her jaw was clenched tight and she looked ready to
explode.

Miss James turned to look at the two kids in the backseat. “Andi – that’s a name you don’t hear everyday.”

When there was no reply, Steve jumped in. “It’s short for Andrea.”

“How cute,” the woman said, smiling at Steve. She turned her attention
again to the back seat. “So, how do you like our little town?”

Oh no! Bobby groaned inside, squeezing his eyes shut.

Andi sat up a little straighter, smiling. “Oh Miss James, my mom,
brother and I are just loving it here. We are living the dream.” The
woman smiled; apparently not having a clue sarcasm was being thrown in
her face. “Picture this,” Andi continued, “My mom has a fabulous, great
paying job, but because our dad loved us so much he talked her into
giving up her career to come to Smallville, USA.”

“Andi,” her dad said in a low warning tone.

“Not only that, Miss James, Bobby and I were in schools we loved and we
both had so many friends, but what was important was our family being
together. You know, a loving family, everyone being a team member, so
dad could have his chance.”

The woman’s eyes darted nervously around the car. “Well…uhm…that’s just lovely Andi. Now if we…”

Andy wasn’t through. “It is a lovely story, isn’t it? She leaned
forward, as if to tell the woman a secret. “But the love didn’t stop
there,” Andi said, putting her hand on Miss James’ shoulder.
“Bobby and I were nervous about going to a new school, yet excited to
meet new friends. You can surely understand that, right?” Andi’s stare
demanded the woman’s eyes to stay trained on her face. Miss James, her
mouth partly opened, slowly nodded. “Can you imagine Bobby’s and my
dismay when the kids, all but shunned us? We didn’t understand. We are
nice people. Why would the kids at school, give us dirty looks and
talk about us?”

Miss James, wide-eyed, shook her head back and forth. “Why would they?” She asked.

“That’s what we wanted to know.” Andi sat back in her seat. Her
voice changed from sugary sweet to matter of fact. “Imagine our
surprise when our father felt the need to shag the neighbor’s wife.”

“Andrea!” Her father snapped. “That’s enough!”

The sugary sweet voice was back. “What?” Andi purred. “Seriously,
dad, how could you have known that mom wouldn’t understand about you
screwing around with another woman? The nerve of her telling you to get
out! Now she is working two jobs. An up and coming advertising expert
is now answering phones at a real estate company, part time, and
cleaning houses for a management company. Isn’t that priceless?” Andi’s
voice dripped with sarcasm. “And who could have guessed that the
lady’s family you destroyed, had two kids that are the same age as Bobby
and me. Yep, John Slater, who is extremely popular, has apparently
told everybody in my sophomore class at school that it is my fault that
his family life is in the toilet.”

Thursday, February 19, 2015

The Sensual Awakening Series is an ongoing series of ménage a trois books from Dee Dawning, a longtime writer of erotica and erotic romance. The first three volumes, Jasmine's Urban Cowboys, Sharing Brenda and Victoria's Secret Life are contemporary westerns set around the fictional Tawny Hills Ranch near Dallas Texas.

The last three books, Playtime with Sera, Naked Research and Fancy Lady & the Desperadoes are also ménage a trois books by Dee Dawning, but in unconnected settings.

Click the banner to watch the book blast trailer

Book Blast Day 4. Featuring Playtime with Sera.

Marc doesn’t know it, but his beautiful wife Sera used to be married to his best bud from college and unknowingly he’s brings them together again.

Click on the cover to buy the book

If you like warmth, live in Arizona like Dee Dawning does. If you like to read hot sexy stories born and raised in the sweltering summer heat of Arizona, check out his scribblings.

Dee has been writing saucy romance stories and other novels for twelve years. At this time, he has forty-four titles available.

Dee & his lovely wife currently reside in Carefree, Arizona, where he writes a novella every three to four months and a novel every six to eight months.

A voice mail from her hubby, Marc, informs Sera, that he and an old school chum are going out for drinks and he wants her get all spiffed up and meet them at Christo’s for dinner and a night of dancing.

At the restaurant, she takes a hard right into the lounge and bangs into Marc’s school chum, Jack who also happens to be her fabulous looking, lady killer, Jack. The unlikely situation prompts a degree of discomfort for all.

As the night wears on, it becomes apparent to the ex-husband and wife that although the bonds of matrimony were severed, their original burning attraction was as strong as ever. This forces Marc to make a decision a husband should never have to make.

Is this a case of fuzzy math where one plus one equals three?

Check out this sexy story with a touch of humor.

Click on the banner to visit Dee Dawning's Amazon Author Page

When Jack saw her, he smiled. “Are you ready to get undressed?”

Sera sucked her lips in tightly. “If I have to. How about you?”

Jack joined Sera at the circular breakfast table while Marc grabbed a deck of cards out of a kitchen drawer before joining them. Marc dealt the first hand of draw poker. Sera got a pair of aces, king high, drew two cards, and got a third ace.

Jack laid his cards down. Two pair, sevens and nines.

Marc threw his cards in. “Beats me.”

She laid her cards down. “But it doesn’t beat my three aces.”

They both made faces but took off their shirts.

It was her turn to deal, and she admired their muscular chests as she dealt, five cards each, face down. She picked up her cards and fanned them. Ace, king high. She drew four and drew another ace. She laid her cards down. “Can anyone beat a pair of aces?” They both threw their cards in.

Marc shook his head. “Damn, beginner’s luck.”

Her brow furrowed. “Hey, let’s not be poor sports now.”

This time they each took off a shoe. She passed the cards to Jack.

She drew one card to four diamonds and didn’t hit it so she took off a sneaker and Marc took off another shoe.

Next hand she drew a third seven, but Marc won his first hand with three jacks. She removed another sneaker and Jack took off his belt.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Isabelle turned the
paper over and recognized her father’s seal on the back of the
letter. She broke the seal and unfolded the page.

My darling daughter,

I’ve made
enquiries into the charges and events in Paris. Things aren’t as
they seem and I’m worried. I’m glad you’re in the abbey where
God and the good sisters can protect you. I’m afraid I can’t. I
can’t even protect myself.

The events
surrounding Pierre’s death are most confounding. Those who spoke
with the guards have all vanished. Even the tavern no longer exists.
This duelist is a ghost—no one can even describe him.

My informant
discovered Pierre delivered documents from the governor general of
New France to the president of the French West India Company shortly
after his arrival in France. Since the charges against him stemmed
from the colony, something in those documents must have been to
blame. My man continues to search for answers.

By now, you’ve
heard I’m ill. My physician can’t understand it, but while he
won’t confirm my suspicions, I believe I’ve been poisoned. No
matter what happens, you must stay away. I don’t know who’s to
blame for this, but I suspect it’s tied to your husband’s death.

I love you and miss
you. Be well my darling child. No matter what happens, follow your
heart.

Your loving Papa

Isabelle sat in the
pew and let the tears flow unimpeded down her cheeks. She reread
Papa’s letter more convinced than ever to discover the truth. She
was startled when a man sat beside her. She looked up into kind brown
eyes. Guy!

He hadn’t worn his
uniform. Instead, he’d chosen to dress normally, making it easy for
him to blend in with the other penitents who’d attended the first
church service of the day. He’d allowed his hair to fall forward to
hide his scar and further obscure his identity. Like an answer to
prayer, he held out his arms. Desperate for a touch of human
kindness, Isabelle went into them and cried until she was sure there
were no tears left inside. Gradually she became aware of the thumping
of Guy’s heart, of his breathing, and of the warmth suffusing her.
I
could stay like this forever. Before
she could nestle any deeper into his arms, she realized where she was
and pulled away.

Guy released her.
“Feeling better?”

The question had
become a familiar one to Isabelle. It seemed everyone thought a few
tears would heal even the deepest wounds, but there were some hurts
which could never be mended by tears alone. “Yes, thank you. Come,
walk with me.” She stood and moved towards the church doors.

Book Blurb: The Price of
Honor

What price is a woman willing to pay to
restore a man’s honor?

When her husband is falsely accused of
treason and murdered, Isabelle de Caen vows to find those responsible
and see justice done. Of royal descent, Isabelle is stunned when the
king orders her hasty marriage to one of his favorites, a man she
detests. To save herself from a fate too awful to contemplate, she
disobeys the king’s edict and commits treason of her own to find
the truth.

Childhood friend, Guy Poirier, an
aristocrat in New France, has always loved Isabelle. When he
discovers her hiding in his cabin aboard ship, he agrees to hide her
from her fiancé and help her clear her husband’s name. It doesn’t
take them long to realize there’s more at stake here than her
husband’s murder. With the fate of the colony in their hands, can
Isabelle and Guy prevent a war and find love in the new world?

Susanne Matthews was
born and raised in Eastern Ontario, Canada. She’s an avid
reader of all types of books, especially those with a happily ever
after. In her imagination, she’s travelled to foreign lands, past
and present, and soared into the future. A retired educator, Susanne
spends her time writing and creating adventures for her readers. She
loves the ins and outs of romance, and the complex journey it takes
to get from the first word to the last period of a novel. As she
writes, her characters take on a life of their own, and she shares
their fears and agonies on the road to self-discovery and love.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

When journalist Iris Ellis visits a sleepy seaside town to interview recluse screenwriter Paul Archer, he
offers her insights into never acted upon fantasies of dominance and submission. Too curious to deny
herself a taste of them, Iris gives herself up to Paul's gentle guidance, but when she realizes that a taste
can never be enough, she must find the courage to ask for what she needs or risk losing it all.

Called a "gem for fans of BDSM romance and the perfect starting point for readers new to the genre" by
RT Book Reviews, Driftwood Deeds is a novella of sexual awakening as well as consent and
communication in bdsm.

After the dream-like quality of Iris' visit at Paul's sea-side home, she is back in the routine and drudgery
of her city life. Struggling to put a label on what they have together, they phone and write letters, trying to
sustain the flame, until they can make time to be in each other's arms again. But once they are, how do
you pull back into proportions a love so magnified it burns?

In this last installment in the Breaking in Waves series, Paul takes the helm and tells the story of how he
and Iris move in together. Two decades of a bachelor's lifestyle are not easy to merge into a life together,
and Paul goes on a journey of embracing Iris in his seaside world. Without holding back and without
fear.

Laila Blake (lailablake.com) is an author, linguist and translator.
She writes character-driven love stories, co-hosts the podcast Lilt and blogs about writing, feminism and
society.

Her work has been featured in numerous anthologies. Keeping a balance between her different interests,
Laila Blake’s body of work encompasses literary erotica, romance, and various fields in speculative
fiction (dystopian/post-apocalypse, fantasy, paranormal romance and urban fantasy) and she adores
finding ways to mix and match.

A self-proclaimed nerd, she lives in Cologne/Germany with her cat Nookie, harbors a deep fondness for
obscure folk singers and plays the guitar. She loves photography, science documentaries and classic
literature, as well as Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory.

You can find her across the web. To stay up to date with her most recent publications, please consider
signing up for her spam-free newsletter.

If I was writing a film
about us, my kitchen would be the central location. Good sex and good cooking are linked for me,
inextricably together. They trigger the same areas of the brain-- taste and smell and texture and pleasure. I
think of sex when I eat good food, and I want good food when I lie there spent after an orgasm, something
full of life and flavor and color to recuperate and start again.

We’ve always spent a lot
of a time here. In varying states of undress.

She feels it too, I think.
That’s why her breathing is a little shallow. That’s why she steals a slice of zucchini as I layer it piece by
piece between the eggplant, the yellow squash and the bright tomatoes. She has that glint in her eyes,
small and wicked, and even now, after all this time, she looks hesitant when she tries to push boundaries.
She still stops short of actually pushing them.

Iris loves to be good, to
be praised, to be my beautiful, precious girl. She hates displeasing me, even as a game. But neither can
she come out and ask for it, tell me about the tingling between her legs, the longing, the ache that only the
crack of my belt can mend. And so she steals bits of zucchini, or switches the radio away from my
favorite station just as we drive into my street. She criticizes books she knows I love, or picks them up
and leaves them on a different shelf-- like I had any order in mind to begin with. They are little things, so
minor I would miss them all the time, if it wasn’t for that look in her eyes.

It’s the look of guilt and
desire, of fighting against her nature and fearing the consequences she’s trying to induce. It’s a look that
makes my cock hard, that squeezes my chest almost painfully.

I listen to the zucchini
crunch between her teeth. She eats it slowly, eyeing my profile as though wondering if I noticed anything
at all. Sometimes I like to indulge her, I like to give her what she wants even though she can’t ask for it,
even though she’s trying to manipulate the circumstances. It feels good sometimes, to let her out to
play.

Today I
don’t.

She picks the next slice
out of the casserole, right out from between a slice of tomato and a slice of yellow squash, where they
nestle in colorful stripes. She knows I can’t miss this one, and her hand hovers there a moment too long,
just like she’s waiting for me to catch up and slap it away. But again, I don’t.

I watch her bring the
slice to her mouth from the corner of my eyes. She places it on her tongue like a communion wafer, with
intensity and slow purpose. She shudders; it’s a marvel to watch that change. A few seconds ago, she was
my sweet girl, leaning next to me, relaxed and happy. Now, she’s strung tight, nervous and needy, like she
exchanged her body for a different one.

“Are you bored?” I ask
her. I look down at the pattern of vegetable slices, at the spot where she messed it up. When I drag my
gaze up to her face, there are red spots on her neck, white teeth-marks on her lower
lip.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Beautiful Monster, The Exchange (book 1)

Lev Baronovsky, a soulless creature of the night, has a
problem. Carly, the love of his life has just died in an accident and in three
days will pass to the other side. Without a soul, he cannot cross over with her
and the thought of spending eternity without his beloved is unbearable. Is
seventy-two hours enough time to find a way?

With the help of his brother, Alexei, they must face the
vilest creature of all, Boris, an ancient one with selfish motivations of his
own.

CHAPTER
ONE

Lev moved swiftly through the hallways, darting
in and out and around what, to him, were slowly moving nurses and
orderlies—those unfortunates working the midnight shift. Faster than any human
eye was capable of detecting, he made it to Carly’s room in a flash. In fact,
he made it there just in time, nostrils plucking the acrid scents from the air
better than any dog’s.

He sat on the bed beside her in the dimly lit
room and noticed, thankfully, she had no roommate. The bed beside Carly was
recently vacated. The scent of death still lingered heavily and sadly.

Taking her delicate hand in his, Lev noticed a monitor
clipped on an index finger. It seemed it measured her pulse and heartbeat. He
noticed too that her heart was beating slowly, though he didn’t need a monitor
for that. He heard its throb, and it made him think of a dying battery.

However, relief settled on him as he realized
he was the first to arrive after the accident that had left her comatose.
Carly’s family was nowhere near yet. It would take hours for them to get here
from the other coast. He had time, plenty of it. Stealthily, Lev glanced into
the hallway from his perch in the darkened hospital room. The occasional nurse
strode past, but it was late, or perhaps the better term was early. In the wee
hours of the morning, there would be fewer staff than during the day.

With a sigh, he took Carly in. Her blonde hair
was matted and dirty, even though it looked as if someone had tried to clean
her up, perhaps finger combing her thick mane and tucking it behind her head.
Her face was still perfect. Not a single scratch had sullied her beauty.

A knot twisted in his belly. Why hadn’t he
known? He could have saved her if only he’d known. But even Lev couldn’t know
everything. It was his brother, Alexei, who’d given him the news moments ago.

“Brother,” he’d said, “there’s been an
accident. Go now to the hospital or you’ll never see your precious Carly
again.”

He hadn’t asked the how, the why, the when.
Alexei had dropped his mental barriers. Lev felt them fall like a drawbridge.
His brother had let him in. It was easier than speaking—Lev was able to glean whatever
information he needed in an instant. But with the simple facts of Carly’s
accident came the realization his brother was happy for the turmoil. A hint of
a smile had curled Alexei’s full lips, and his eyes were bright. Lev was not
surprised.

He pulled his thoughts from Alexei and looked
down at his beloved’s hand in his. The pallor of it matched his own. He
listened to the slow rush of blood through her veins, willing it to grow
stronger.

Moving close, he whispered, “I can save you.”
He brought her dainty wrist to his lips. She smelled like death already—like
the musk of freshly turned earth. It was now or never. His fangs pricked at her
delicate skin, drawing a bead of crimson. It tasted of iron and copper and of
her. Carly’s very essence was in that droplet.

He stopped himself, knowing she wouldn’t want
him to go through with it. They’d talked about it many times, about the
possibility of him turning her, so they could be together, not for just the
blink of an eye that was a human lifetime but for eternity. She would be
furious if he turned her, and he wouldn’t blame her. Lev knew the pain and sorrow
of being changed into a monster against one’s will.

But at least she would still exist. We could still be together. He shook off that small, but oh so inviting
thought. No, he would not make a monster of her.

With a flick of his tongue, he licked the
droplet away. A shudder of pleasure shot through him, and as he pushed her
wrist to his mouth, like a child ready to bite into a ripe peach, the monitor
blared a warning. He dropped her arm. Panic filled him. Carly’s pulse rose and
fell suddenly. The stagnant tone of a heart that was no longer beating blared
from the machine, stabbing sharply in his ears, but the growing silence of
blood no longer pulsing through veins and arteries seemed louder. Hesitation
had cost him. His compassion, as his brother would say, was his one true
downfall.

Two nurses and a doctor were in the room now,
buzzing frantically around Carly. Lev had disappeared through the pane of the window
unseen and watched from outside where the moonless sky hid him. His jacket
flapped in a breeze that also tousled his long black hair. It whipped and
slapped against his cheeks.

It was said creatures like him could feel no
pain. That they existed only as predators—takers of life—but Lev’s world had
just crumbled. If he had a beating heart, it would be broken in two. Tears
welled in his eyes, and he longed to let them fall. No, more than that, he
wanted to scream, wanted to rip his cold dead heart from his chest and stomp on
it.

Lev gathered himself as best he could, pinching
the tears from his eyes and staring up to the heavens, but there would be no
help for him there. For Lev Baranovsky, there was no God, only this perpetual
hell he lived in. Love may come for him again in time, though he wasn’t sure he
wanted it to. Would he ever get over losing his precious Carly? The vicious
cycle of love and heartbreak was enough to drive him mad.

He should go now. Carly was gone. There was
nothing he could do. Even though his brother would be at home, he needed the
comfort of his own space to grieve.

He looked down at the ground two stories below,
and when he peered back up for one last glimpse of his beloved, his brows
lifted and his dark eyes grew to the size of poker chips.

Carly was dead, but she wasn’t gone.

Bio

I've worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years,
first as a freelance journalist, then as an in-house editor for LexisNexis
Canada. I currently work as a freelance editor and writer and am represented
by Karen Thomas of the Serendipity Literary Agency.

My debut novel, Invisible, a young adult paranormal romance, has
recently been optioned for film. Invisible
is an Amazon bestseller both domestically and internationally and continues to
receive wonderful reviews.

Another of my novels, Nowhere to Run, tells the story of Lily
Valier, a woman of substance and beauty, and her dilemma when she falls in love
with a man whose mission it is to bring her down.Currently, I'm finishing up work on Dark Angel, a paranormal thriller.

For the "Young At Heart"

Below are stories for the older crowd. Historical western romances, contemporary romances, and a paranormal romance! There is also a family drama and a non-fiction on my experience with solar. Just keep scrolling down!

The Sheriff and the Miner's Daughter

Charlene arrives in Jubilee Springs with several mail order brides coming to meet their prospective husbands. When Charlene asks Jim Hawkins, the local sheriff, the whereabouts of Amos Lehman, he thinks she is a gold digger. He claims he is trying to to keep her from ruining her life by marrying a man twice her age, but when it becomes clear Amos is her father, his interest takes a different turn.

Chase's Story

Book 10 of Grandma's Wedding Quilts

Mail Order Bride - Wanted

Hannah, Bride of Iowa, Book 29 of the historic American Mail Order Bride Series

Gabe, The Thornton Trilogy, Book 1

Gabe Thornton inherits the Double Bar Ranch from good friend and neighbor Bill (Pappy) Thomas, but there are conditions. Last Will and Testament states five hundred acres have been set aside for his only niece, or interested heirs. Molly Blackburn, who knows nothing about cattle ranching, shows up to claim her inheritance. Sparks fly! Will she give up her land or will she find more than just a cattle ranch in Bastrop?

The Ornament

Twelve years ago Jim Rustle packed up and left his home in Idaho and hasn’t looked back. He gets quite an awakening when Lisa Parker, whom he hadn’t seen in all those years, breaks into a business meeting and uses some colorful adjectives to tell him just what she thinks of him. Sparks fly between the two when he decides to follow Lisa home and sees what has happened in his absence. Is the anger stemming from the present, or from the past? It’s Christmas time. Can an ornament from years past help heal betrayals that have festered for years?

Revenge, The Cowboy Way

This is a story of love, hate, and revenge. The question is, whose revenge is it?

Jesse's Find

In the middle of nowhere, Jesse Mason finds a horse, a woman and an infant. The horse is dead and the woman has been shot. Why would somebody shoot a woman with a baby? More to the point, were they still looking for her?

Jesse's Nightmare - Book Two of the Jesse Series

The snow continues to pound the Kansas plains in late March. Something is ripping apart the livestock and animals and Jesse comes home to find his wife and daughter are missing!

Jesse's Heartbreak

Jesse and Ginny Mason’s world is shattered when Amanda Hill comes to Abilene, Kansas to try and take three-year old Sarah away from them. Little Sarah’s father died before she was born and his family wants the girl to come to Pennsylvania and live with them, and they have the all the money and expertise they need to make that happen! The Hill’s can offer the little girl prominence and station in life, while all Jesse and Ginny have to give is their complete devotion. Which will the Judge choose – money or love?

Justice Comes To Saline

Black smoke billows and a whistle blares, as the steam engine pulls into Salina, Kansas, delivering the town’s new school teacher, Victoria Stone. The people of Salina are caring and do all they can to make Victoria feel welcome and her students are finding their way into her heart. Then there’s the town’s sheriff, Jim Timmons, who is getting under her skin and turning every emotion she has inside out. But the truth is, Salina didn’t pick Victoria – She picked the town of Salina. And in her bag, Victoria isn’t toting books and school supplies. There is a score to settle in Salina, Kansas, and nothing or nobody is going to deter her from putting things right.

WESTERN ROMANCES

DO YOU ENJOY HISTORICAL WESTERN ROMANCES?The Pioneer Hearts Facebook group is a wonderful place for historical western romance authors and readers to discuss their favorite stories, recipes and photos. Join the group at www.facebook.com/groups/pioneerhearts.

Blame It On The Cherry

Julie Reed and Will Parker are soul mates. All through their high school years they talked about and planned their future together. It only took one night to destroy all they had. Julie won’t listen and moves away. Was it Will that ruined their future, or did Julie not love him enough? When Will finds her again will she give him another chance or will his deception stay buried deep inside her heart?

Her Cracked Heart

A second chance for love with a ready-made family is at Stephanie Warren’s fingertips, but ghosts of the past have a strong hold. Will she turn her back on happiness or can somebody break through her shell and help heal her cracked heart?

At What Price

What will a grandmother do to protect the ones she loves?

The Unwanted Christmas Guest

Elizabeth McMurphy is an up and coming high powered attorney and is after vengence, involving one of the richest and most powerful families in Colorado. Steve York is an obnoxious reporter that thinks the ice queen has gone too far and does all he can to get under her skin. When one of the worst blizzards in history, hits CO and leaves a hurt Steve York, stranded with Elizabeth in a mountain cabin, will she must decide to either take care of him, or throw him out to fend for himself.

Dugan's Creek

A devastated Heather Stone is headed to her sister's house for some TLC after her boyfriend of 3 years breaks up with her. "I need space. There is no sizzle in our relationship!" As if things weren't bad enough, her car dies on a lonely stretch of highway and she starts walking. She's hot, thirsty, and her feet are getting blisters. A sign says Dugan's Creek. She finds soothing cold, rushing water.....and so much more! This story is NOT for the kids!

Solar - One Family's Reality

It was going to cost $100,000 to bring electricity to our property line. We decided it was a no-brainer to go green. This is our story of our trip down Solar Lane. The pros and cons, and facts and fallacies!

Fox Tots Publishing

For the "Young"

Below are books for the beginning reader to the middle grade readers. Fairy tales to fantasy to time travel adventures! I have stories for the kiddos in your lives! Just keep scrolling down!

For the Early Readers

A delightful American tale about five-year old Ethan who is in Ms. Johnson’s Kindergarten class. He is new to the school and has not made any friends. Ethan and Timmy, a boy in his class, get in a fight over a soccer ball and both boys are sent to talk to the principal, Mr. Glumb. There are stories about this principal – scary stories! Are they true? Ethan and Timmy are about to find out!

A Story For Beginning and Young Readers

Sammy Bear goes on a search for his lost tail. He meets new friends and eats some of his favorite meals along the way. Will Sammy Bear make it home with his lost tail? At the end of the story are a few of Sammy's favorite bug recipes. Enjoy them with mom and dad or fool your friends with some delicious, creepy, bug recipes.

The Wickware Sagas

Strange things happen in Miss Wickware’s seventh grade history class. Lights flash, electricity zaps throughout the classroom, radio turns on by itself! But the most puzzling is that some of the students are transported back in time and come face to face with the person or subject that they are to do a report on. When asked about these happenings, students just aren’t talking. Word on the street points to old lady Wickware, herself. Is magic involved? Is she a witch? Alien? Or just an old lady who is passionate about history? As I said, nobody’s talking.

Riches to Rags, Book 5 of the Wickware Sagas

Dylan Jones, seventh grader at Langdon Middle School lives the good life. His family has money. He gets most everything he wants. Even so, everybody likes Dylan ’cause he is a happy go lucky kid. Miss Wickware, his seventh grade history teacher, tells the class they will be studying the United States in the late 1800 for the next few weeks. Everybody will be expected to present an oral report on a subject that is drawn from a box. Dylan draws The Orphan Train. A penniless Dylan finds himself at the train station in New York in 1875 and he is as scared and unsure as the children getting ready to ride the Orphan Train. How will Dylan make it when money is nowhere to be found?

Bumped Back In Time, Book 4 of the Wickware Sagas

Sammy Brown, winner of the first junior sailing regatta for kids, ages twelve to fourteen, is walking on air Tuesday, after being absent the previous day, due to the race. Miss Wickware, her history teacher, asks Sammy to stay after class because she needs to draw a subject out of a box and give an oral report on the drawn subject. “UHG” History and Sammy are not friends, but her good mood won’t be dampened until a fall and a bump on the head sends her back to 1814. It’s her expertise in sailing that allows Francis Scott Key to rescue an imprisoned friend from a British ship that leads to a historic battle and a famous poem!

Flash to the Past, Book 3 of the Wickware Sagas

Snooty, popular, Kristy Sawyer and nerdy brainiac, Larry Peables find themselves back in the 18 Century and meet a Revolutionary War heroine, and take part in a famous battle!

Ride of a Lifetime, Book 2 of the Wickware Sagas

Seventh grader and school bully, Jim Abernathy, is less than thrilled when he draws a boring girl to do a report on. He quickly learns a touch of humility when he storms out of his history class and into 18th Century, New York, where he meets up with Sybil Ludington. She shows him exactly what bravery is!

Billy Cooper's Awesome Nightmare

Billy finds out, on a Friday afternoon, that an oral report will be due on Monday, on the subject he draws from a box. Who the heck is William Tell? He figures he will do a quick computer search on this guy and will breeze through on this assignment. All that changes when Billy meets 14th century William Tell face to face!

The Wickware Sagas

Kids of today find themselves back in time, face to face, with historical heroes

The Bearded Dude in the Puzzle

An ancient puzzle is found while cleaning an old home. As the Taylor family works on the puzzle, strange things start to happen. An evil presence is making its way to the Taylor house, intent on making sure that puzzle never gets put together, no matter the cost, and it’s up to Bobby and Andrea to make sure that it does!

Hike Up Devil's Mountain

Three boys only hope is the witch that lives on Devil's Mountain

Hike Up Devil's Mountain

When the school bully is turned into a toad, two ten year old boys must climb Devil's Mountain to find the only person who can help them. Will they survive the trip?

A Float Down the Canal

Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mom is called into work and she has to cancel her plans to babysit her brother and his friend. The second bomb is dropped when Pam is informed her prissy cousin is also being dropped of for Pam to entertain. The worst day of her life, turns into a day she will never forget and it all starts with a float down the canal!

50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading

I was one of the chosen!!

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About Me

I worked as an elementary school secretary for twenty-one years. I retired with my wonderful husband, to a fifty-four acre ranch, which is a constant work in progress. We live on solar and wind, which has been a real adjustment! On any given evening, the stars are an awesome sight and can be seen as far as the eye can see!